Materials littered the worktable that had risen around Arwin. He leaned over it as he organized the materials, trying to separate them out into general groups. This wasn’t even half of what he had to work with.
The Infernal Armory was holding onto all the useful monster materials that he’d brought back from the Blacktongue’s dungeon as well. It hadn’t brought them out to avoid completely filling the back room with components while he worked on identifying the first set.
A grin pulled at Arwin’s lips as he worked. The air slled incredible. He couldn’t even say what the sll was anymore. There were so many different ones overlapping over each other that the only descriptor he had left was good.
He didn’t even want to think about how much magical potential he had on the table before him. Arwin just humd to himself as he worked, letting his thoughts brush across the tal and establish communication with them to determine their desires.
It had been an hour since he’d started working, beginning with what seed to be the weaker materials and working his way up toward the more powerful ones. But even the weakest of the materials on the table was more powerful than almost everything Arwin had worked with before. He was spending a considerable amount of effort just trying to keep his excitent contained.
Arwin was so focused on his work that he barely even noticed the energy creeping up in the back of his mind as he examined the crimson tal in his hands. He was pretty sure it was one of the more powerful components he’d received, but sothing about it felt odd.
Only when a wave of dizziness struck Arwin in a wall did he realize why. He swayed, barely managing to flop into a seated position before he found his vision going black as his consciousness was ripped from his body.
Then the world was gone and all that remained was a vision.
***
Arwin tasted blood.
His hands were soaked a deep, crimson red. Life dripped from his fingertips and soaked into his clothes with a weight that no other liquid could ever bear. The sll of iron in the air was so intense that even a smithy couldn’t compare to it.
He stood in the center of a massive field that looked to once have been covered with lush grass. Now, any foliage that remained was matted and trampled to the ground. It had been turned into a bloody marsh of a battlefield.
But it was missing the one thing that battlefields always had in droves.
Bodies.
There wasn’t a single other being on the field with Arwin. Not one soldier or fallen corpse. He couldn’t even spot a weapon. There was nothing here but blood.
Even for Arwin, who had seen more battlefields than he could count, this was unsettling. He’d never seen this much blood in one place — or without a single body to attribute the crimson liquid staining everything to. It was like the sky had suddenly just decided that it was going to rain blood instead of water.
“Well, this is pleasant,” Arwin said, staring down at his hands with a grimace. “Hardly a very friendly vision. Am I remiss in assuming that you don’t take very kindly to my presence?”
And that this material might not be the friendliest one I’ve t? Seriously, it could let up on the anger problems a bit. Who greets soone by plopping them down in a bloody marsh?
There was no response to his question. Arwin’s eyes narrowed.
“Co on. You can’t pull to this place and then ignore . That’s just rude. You wanted to talk, didn’t you? So let’s talk.”
Still, there was no response.
Arwin repressed the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. It looked like the tal was going to make him stand around for a while as it observed him.
“I’m a smith,” Arwin said. “But I’ve seen my fair share of fighting. More than my fair share, really. I’m making the most powerful suit of armor I’ve ever attempted. Sothing that can contain the soul of a living building. To do that, I need the most powerful materials I can get my hands on — and I need them on my side. I’m not here to force you into anything. My presence is an offer. You want to be a suit of armor? I’ll do my best to make you into the best damn suit of armor that anyone in this kingdom could. If armor doesn’t suit you, then I can find a different purpose for you as well. And if you don’t want that… I won’t touch you at all. The choice is yours.”
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The only response Arwin received was silence.
He pressed his lips together. This wasn’t sothing he’d experienced before. The material had pulled him into a vision, only to up and give him the silent treatnt. He could fight a monster. But this — there wasn’t much he could do if it didn’t actually show up to confront him.
“What do you want?” Arwin asked, his brow furrowed. “I want to do right by you, but that’s kind of hard if you aren’t giving sothing to work with. Can’t you draw a picture in the blood or sothing like—”
A flash of light tore through Arwin’s mind.
He drew in a sharp breath, suddenly finding himself bolting upright. Cold stone pressed against his backside and his back was covered in clammy sweat. His heart thundered like a stampede of bulls trapped in his chest.
I’m back in the Infernal Armory?
Arwin blinked. He stared down at the piece of crimson tal in his hands. No thoughts or emotions ca from it. It was just as still and silent as its vision had been. Confusion gripped Arwin as he slowly rose to his feet and set the tal back on the table.
What was that all about?
***
Esrelda pursed her lips. She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she looked out at the street before her.
Well-swept stones of polished white. Shined boots and fancy fences and frilly dresses. The sll of flowers hung in the air like a gentle whisper and polite conversation danced between passersby
She didn’t like this. Not in the slightest.
Esrelda threw a glance back at the alley behind her. There wasn’t so much as a single scrap of trash in it. No rotten apple cores or discarded food. She hadn’t even been able to find any signs of sleeping drunkards.
This street reeked of privilege. Of stuffy nobles that wouldn’t step a single foot into her store no matter what she promised to sell them because they didn’t dare get a speck of dirt on their fancy all-too-tight pants.
Why did my shop bring here, of all places?
Esrelda’s nose scrunched in distaste. There wasn’t a single adventurer on the street. Nobody here was going to be willing to take a single risk. They didn’t have to. And that ant there should have been absolutely no reason for her to be here, either.
I may have promised Arwin that I wouldn’t go around hawking evil cursed items anymore, but you can’t stop people’s natures. All I do is bring them to the store. There are so perfectly good items in there. So magical. So beneficial. And sure, maybe one or two or a dozen might be cursed. But if they choose to buy sothing… who am I to stand in their way?
All that was well and good. It also didn’t matter. Her shop never brought her sowhere she didn’t need to be. It was very talented at making sure she arrived at just the right place at the right ti.
But Esrelda didn’t have the faintest idea as to what in the world she was doing here.
Even trying to walk up to any of the people stumbling around on the street was likely to get the guards called on her. That would be a massive hassle and would probably end up costing her a few potions. Potentially even slightly sore foot if the situation arose in which she had to relocate it up soone’s back end.
“How odd,” Esrelda said, scratching at the side of her neck. She stood awkwardly at the edge of the alley, glancing around like a lost schoolchild. The old woman honestly couldn’t rember the last ti she’d been this at a loss for what to do.
Maybe the old shop has finally started to go senile. That or it wants to murder soone. Perhaps it’s just hungry. That could be possible. I’d wager there are a few people wandering around here that absolutely nobody would miss, the pompous round pricks.
It won’t even be hard to pluck one of them off the street. To them, I may as well be invisible. Nobody cares about a wrinkled up old lady with—
“Whoa!”
Esrelda blinked. Standing right in front of her, staring with wide eyes, was a young man. He was dressed in the sa manner of pompous clothes that every other idiot on the street wore, but his eyes were alight with excitent and interest.
Interest directed at her.
Well, well. Would you look at that? A custor, perhaps? Or an eager snack?
“Aren’t you an energetic little thing?” Esrelda asked, her voice little more than a croak. “You look like you might to make sothing of your life, lad. I might have just the opportunity for you. The chance of a lifeti. How would you like to beco—”
“Gods, I can’t believe it!” the teen whispered excitedly. “I really can’t! There’s just no way.”
Esrelda’s brow furrowed and she trailed off. “Oh, no. This is very real, boy. This chance has chosen you. How do you like the idea of getting a taste of real—”
“You’re Esrelda!” the teen exclaid, practically vibrating from excitent. “You are, aren’t you?”
“I — what? How do you know my na?”
“I know way more than your na,” the teen exclaid. “You one of the hardest mbers of the nagerie to find! I didn’t think I’d actually get a chance to et you! This is so aweso. Did… did you bring your shop with you? I’ve heard rumors that you’ve always got an incredible stock of rare magical items. They say the shop travels with you, and you’ve been spotted all over the kingdom! Is that true? Could I see it? It’s here, right?”
Esrelda stared at the boy, montarily overwheld by the slew of questions. Then, finally, she ripped herself from her confusion. There was no doubt about it. This boy was the reason her shop had brought her here.
“Who are you?” Esrelda asked. “How do you know ?”
“Oh, shoot. I’m sorry. I’ve done it again. I just never thought I’d et you so close to my family’s house.” The teenager’s face reddened and he cleared his throat. Then he extended his hand in greeting. “I’m honored to make your acquaintance. My na is Thane.”
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